Tourism in Mali

However, due to the Northern Mali conflict and threats from terrorism, all major tour operators have withdrawn services which saw a decrease in tourists from 200,000 in 2011 to 10,000 the following year.

Development of the tourist industry was hindered by the country's inadequate transport infrastructure and a shortage of hotels for visitors.

There are no direct flights to Mali from the United Kingdom, nor do any major British tour operators offer travel to the country.

It describes the situation in Mali as "still unstable and there is a high threat from terrorism, attacks could be indiscriminate, including in places frequented by expatriates and foreign travellers.

This has been on the UNESCO danger list since 2012, which the organisation describes as "an intellectual and spiritual capital and a centre for the propagation of Islam throughout Africa in the 15th and 16th centuries, its three great mosques, Djingareyber, Sankore and Sidi Yahia, recall Timbuktu's golden age.